


Just a Stuffed Dog

by archers_and_spies



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Clint Barton Needs a Hug, F/M, Help, How Do I Tag
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-03
Updated: 2019-09-03
Packaged: 2020-10-06 07:57:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,108
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20503523
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/archers_and_spies/pseuds/archers_and_spies
Summary: The aftermath of a mission at the carnival.





	Just a Stuffed Dog

**Author's Note:**

> This was also part of my instagram question sticker thingy and I really loved this one! It was supposed to be a fun fluffy one but– well– I don’t really have an excuse for making it super dramatic just take it I guess. Oh, and prompts are printed **in bold**. I can’t imagine Nat being okay with killing an actual dog so I changed it up a bit ;)

“Clint.”

“No. Don’t even think about it.”

“It’s the only way.”

“It’s never the only way, Nat. Please.”

Natasha turned to look behind them. They were still coming, and they were closing in fast. “I’m doing this so the both of us can make it out of here in one piece, now give me the damn thing.”

With a frustrated sigh, Clint handed it to her. Natasha took hold of it, threw it, and pulled Clint behind a horse on the carousel to take cover as every motion sensitive bomb in the carnival went off all at once. After a few seconds, the loud noise stopped, leaving a faint ringing in both the assassins’ ears.

“You okay?” She asked when she felt her heart rate start to slow.

“No, not really,” he breathed. “**We killed someone**, Nat! **That wasn’t part of the plan!**”

“What do you mean? Our mission was to kill the targets. Which we just did.”

“I didn’t mean the targets.”

Natasha stood. “You can’t be serious.”

“Our mission would’ve been much more of a success if you hadn’t thrown—” Clint started to argue.

“Barton, **shut up, it was just a** stuffed **dog.**”

Clint didn’t reply to that. Instead, he glanced down at his SHIELD-issued watch and simply announced, “The flight back to New York is in three hours. Let’s go.”

Natasha stared at his silhouette as he walked towards what was left of the exit of the carnival. Clint couldn’t possibly be actually mad at her for this, right?

Right?

Her thoughts were a tangled mess as she ran to catch up with him.

\----

All the way back, Clint didn’t say anything to her, aside from a few words like “hurry up” and “move”. He also fell asleep on her shoulder on the plane and she’d let him, but when he was woken by the seatbelt sign’s ding! he immediately sat up straight and seemed pretty mad at himself for having dozed off in the first place.

When they arrived at HQ, Clint stormed off without a word, probably to take a shower and change into something cleaner. Natasha was still confused as to why he was mad.

“Agent Romanoff.”

She turned to the sound of the familiar voice. “Director Fury. I didn’t know you were going to be here. Clint—Barton and I were just going to stop by for the debrief and, uh, head home.”

Her heart started beating wildly now. How long had she been standing there? What if Fury could read her expression and infer that something was wrong? Or worse, what if they found out what was—or had been—happening between Clint and her? SHIELD had anti-fraternization rules, what would they do if—

“…congratulate you on the mission.” He finished his sentence and Natasha realized she hadn’t been listening. “Romanoff, are you feeling alright?” Fury’s good eye was scrutinizing her face and she felt her cheeks burn.

“Uh, yeah, I’m just… tired. Really tired.” Well, technically she wasn’t lying.

“Okay,” he didn’t sound convinced. “In that case, you can tell Barton that the debrief will be postponed till next week.”

“Right, thanks. Yeah. I’ll tell him.”

A both suspicious and concerned look in his eye, Fury turned and walked away.

\----

After changing, Natasha flopped onto the bed and tried to ignore the slight puff of dust. She had basically already moved in with Clint and even though it was informal, she rarely returned to her own apartment anymore, especially when he was on solo missions. That way, she would still be surrounded by his scent and feel his presence by her side even when he wasn’t with her physically.

Right when she thought she couldn’t take it anymore and had started preparing to go over to Clint’s, a knock sounded at her door.

She was shocked, to say the least, when she opened the door to a crying Clint.

“Natasha, I’m so sorry.”

His sincerity and the way his voice broke on the last word cracked her heart in two. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders and let him cry into hers.

“I was so selfish—I should’ve thought of you—” he sobbed.

“Hey, it’s okay. Clint, really, it’s okay.” She stepped back, resting her hands on his shoulders. “Why don’t you tell me about it?” She took his hand and led him to the couch.

“I—” he started, then shook his head. “God, I’m so selfish. And petty. Natasha, I don’t deserve you. Just go ahead and kick me out already.”

Natasha hit him lightly. “That’s ridiculous.”

Clint tried his best to avoid her piercing gaze.

She continued. “Come on, we’ve been over this. How many times have I felt like what you’re feeling right now? And how many times have you told me I should think better of myself? Remember that time when I literally almost killed you and instead of turning your back on me like any other normal person would do, you held me in your arms and told me that it was gonna be okay?”

He smiled a little. He did remember.

“Clint, you are the most selfless and loving person I know. Which is why I want to be with you, rules be damned. Now are you going to tell me why you’re a crying mess or not?”

Clint sniffled. “It’s just… we’re spies, we don’t get to actually have fun often, and I wanted something I could keep to remind myself of today—I know, it’s dumb, I’m sorry—”

“Don’t be. It’s perfectly fine.” Natasha reached behind her to get a tissue and offered it to Clint, which he took. “Actually, I kept something from today too.”

Natasha bent down to retrieve her duffle bag which she brought along during missions. It was usually filled with knives and guns of different shapes and sizes, but when she unzipped it, there was a strip of photos lying on top of her weapons. She picked it up carefully. Six photos of them were printed on it and they were all different. Natasha’s personal favorite was the last one, where Clint was making faces and she was smiling at him. He might be an idiot, but he was her idiot.

Clint leaned closer to get a better look. “Oh, hey, that’s us,” he smiled.

Natasha’s heart warmed at the sight of him being happy again. “Yeah, it was from the photobooth we went in right after you won us that dog. You hit the bullseye every time. Did you see everyone’s faces?” She chuckled. “Here, you can have it, if you want.”

“Thank you, Nat,” he breathed.

“Anytime.”

“Can we go home now? Please?”

**Author's Note:**

> [Find me on my other platforms here!](https://linktr.ee/karasnecklace)


End file.
